Tag: Mohammad Nasir

The new elected rector of Pattimura University (Unpatti) for the term 2016-2020, Prof. Dr. Marthinus Johanes Sapteno, S.H., M.Hum was inaugurated by the Minister for Research, Technology and Higher Education in Jakarta on 24 January 2016.

In the inaugural speech by the Minister for Research, Technology and Higher Education, Prof. Mohammad Nasir said that Unpatti should support the development processes in Maluku, one of these processes is to provide skilled human resources, especially in anticipating the operation of Masela Block gas field which would need a high number of human resources.

The Minister added that the Government supports Unpatti in the process of providing skilled human resources in Maluku. “ We (the Ministry) will support Pattimura University hence it could have suitable study programs to answer the human resources needs of Masela Block gas field. Geology study program should be opened, for this need we (the Ministry) will provide the mandate. Masela Block project has to be filled with the worker from Eastern Indonesia. This is a hard challenge, the Director General will support it and later the detailed discussion regarding what kind of the study programs are needed would be held”, said the Minister.

He stated that once the needs of Masela Block are known then a mandate would be issued. In supporting the task, then assistances would be prepared, and these could come from ITB, UGM, ITS or other universities. “This is to ensure that the program would be well carried out”, said the Minister.

The minister also stressed that the Aru Islands should be given attention since it will become the entry to the Masela Block project. “ Therefore, rector should have big plans in order to compete in the global stage, this is the challenge”, the Minister emphasized.

Later the Minister stated “the Ministry will issue a mandate, which means that there would be a special administration works that would be given in order to support Unpatti to form the needed study programs, such as Geology, Chemistry, Technology, and so on”. “When the decision regarding the Masela Block has been announced by the President, we (the Ministry) will issue the mandate”. “We want Moluccan community to play important roles in Masela Block Project and not only become spectators. This is a big opportunity for Maluku, since Masela Block is the biggest natural gas block in the world” stressed the Minister, Mohammad Nasir.

In the occasion, the Minister Mohammad Nasir also thanked and acknowledged the previous rector Prof. Dr. Thomas Pentury, M.Si (term 2012-2016) for the hard works and services given.

The inaugural event was attended by professors, deans, lecturers from Unpatti, Echelon 1 staffs of the Ministry, and the prominent members of Moluccan community in Jakarta.(Translated from Ambon Ekspres p. 17, 26 February 2016).